This invention relates to a hair conditioning composition and process for making and using the same. More particularly, this invention relates to a hair conditioning composition, a creme rinse composition, a process for producing a hair conditioning or creme rinse composition which includes homogenizing the composition, and a process for treating the hair.
Although hair conditioners and creme rinses utilize similar ingredients at different concentrations, their uses are substantially different. A hair conditioner is generally utilized as a periodic treatment to restore the condition to hair which has been damaged due to regular use or misuse of hair waving compositions or hair colorant compositions. A creme rinse, however, is generally utilized as an after-shampoo treatment which improves the manageability and combability of the hair. Creme rinses have become particularly attractive to individuals having long hair which subsequent to shampooing becomes difficult to control and comb.
Both hair conditioners and creme rinses generally utilize cationic compounds which are substantive to the hair. These compositions also may include small percentages of waxy materials such as higher alcohols which also appear to effect the condition of the hair. These higher alcohols, although they were recognized as improving conditioning, have had a detrimental effect on the stability of prior art creme rinse products.
Generally prior art creme rinse formulations use about 2.5% to 7% quaternary compound such as stearyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride and may include up to 1% by weight of a oil-soluble waxy material, such as a higher alcohol such as isostearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, liquid hexadecanol, or octaphenoxy ethanol, waxy esters such as glycerol mono-, di- and tri-stearate, ethylene glycol mono- and distearate, propylene glycol stearates, sorbitan stearates, etc. These materials are substantially water insoluble and are not selfdispersing, and for this reason only small quantities are used. Water-dispersible or water-soluble materials are often incorporated in prior art compositions in relatively large amounts in attempts to solublize water-insoluble materials or stabilize the formulation. These materials include various water-soluble or dispersible surfactants or salts. Other conventional creme rinse formulations are disclosed on pages 1102-1105 of THE CHEMISTRY AND MANUFACTURE OF COSMETICS, Vol. 4, 2nd edition, by Maison G. deNavarre.
Prior art hair conditioning compounds, as exemplified by pages 1097-1101 of the above book, also include quaternary compounds mixed with higher alcohols. In particular, a formulation described on page 1100 described Adogen 432 CG, a quaternary ammonium compound, mixed with cetyl alcohol, sodium chloride, and water. This composition contains a relatively high percentage of cetyl alcohol and would appear to show that the same is desirable in providing some conditioning properties to the hair.
Prior art compounds used higher levels of quaternary to provide improved performance, as has been noted previously only relative small percentages of cetyl alcohol could be incorporated into the composition without impairing the stability of the compound. Further, prior art compositions generally have what can be best described as a stringy or lumpy appearance or consistency. This is due in part to the natural agglomerative effects of the quaternary compounds themselves. The prior art compositions commonly have particle sizes in the range of 40 to 60 microns or higher.